1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of fasteners such as bolts, screws, rivets and nails. More specifically the present invention relates to a sealable fastener including a fastener shank having a shank first end for engagement by a fastener insertion tool and having a shank second end for embedding into a receiving structure, the shank first end having a shank first end wall and the shank second end having a shank second end wall; a longitudinal shank side wall and a continuous, fully circumferential channel recessed into the shank side wall; and including a longitudinally extending sealant delivery passageway. For applications in which the fastener bore in a receiving structure terminates within a solid portion of the receiving structure, such as a boat hull, a first embodiment is provided in which the sealant delivery passageway has a passageway entry port in the shank second end and extending longitudinally to a passageway exit port opening into the circumferential channel. A seal confirmation passageway is optionally provided which extends from a confirmation passageway entry port in the circumferential channel to the shank first end where it opens out of a confirmation passageway exit port.
Sealant is first injected into a fastener bore. Then the fastener shank is screwed, driven or slid into the fastener bore so that the shank second end bears against and compresses the sealant within the fastener bore so that the sealant is forced into the sealant delivery passageway and flows through the sealant delivery passageway and into and around the circumferential channel, creating a circumferential seal between the fastener shank and the receiving structure so that water or other liquid cannot flow around the fastener shank and through the receiving structure.
Where absolute confirmation of a complete seal is required, the seal confirmation passageway is provided. After sealant flows from the sealant delivery passageway and around the circumferential channel, the sealant flows out of the circumferential channel into the confirmation passageway entry port and along the seal confirmation passageway until the sealant is exposed at or exits from a confirmation passageway exit port in the shank first end.
The delivery and confirmation passageways are optionally replaced by longitudinal grooves in the shank side wall. The grooves may correspond to the passageways of the parent application, in which the delivery passageway entry port is in the shank first end.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been fasteners having fastener shanks for extending into and interconnecting multiple discrete fastener receiving structures. These prior fasteners have included bolts, screws, rivets, pins and nails. A problem with these prior fasteners has been that no truly effective means has been provided for creating a seal between the shank of the fastener and the receiving structure to reliably prevent liquid from flowing along the shank from one side of the receiving structure to the other. This problem is particularly noteworthy in the marine industry and is probably the most common cause of leakage in boat hulls.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a fastener which includes a shank for passing into a receiving structure including means for reliably delivering flowable sealant circumferentially around the shank, preferably into a circumferential channel, creating a circumferential seal between the shank and the receiving structure, thereby preventing flow of liquid along the shank and through the receiving structure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a fastener which may take any conventional form, such as a bolt, screw, rivet, pin or nail.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a fastener which is inserted into a receiving structure in the same way and with the same tool or tools used to insert an otherwise similar fastener, and through which a flowable sealant can be rapidly, easily and reliably delivered.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a fastener which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and to install in a receiving structure.
The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives, as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification.
A sealable fastener is provided for insertion into a fastener opening in a receiving structure, the sealable fastener including a fastener shank including a shank first end having a shank first end wall and a shank second end having a shank second end wall, a shank side wall extending between the shank first end wall and the shank second end wall and a circumferential channel recessed into the shank side wall; and a sealant delivery passageway having a delivery passageway entry port in the shank second end and extending to a delivery passageway exit port opening into the circumferential channel; so that a flowable sealant placed in the fastener opening is drivable into the delivery passageway entry port as the fastener shank is inserted into the fastener opening, so that the sealant flows through the sealant delivery passageway and exits through the delivery passageway exit port and flows into and around the circumferential channel, creating a circumferential seal between the fastener shank and the fastener opening in the receiving structure.
The delivery passageway entry port preferably opens into the shank second end wall and the delivery passageway includes a delivery passageway axial segment extending toward the shank first end wall to a point between the shank second end wall and the shank first end wall, and a delivery passageway radial segment extending from the delivery passageway axial segment to the delivery passageway exit port. The fastener first end optionally includes a fastener head having a head top surface, wherein the head top surface is the shank first end wall. The circumferential channel is optionally located substantially midway between the shank first end wall and the shank second end wall. The shank side wall preferably includes fastener threads, and the circumferential channel preferably is deeper than the fastener threads.
The sealable fastener optionally includes several delivery passageway exit ports opening into the circumferential channel, the delivery passageway exit ports being circumferentially spaced apart along the circumferential channel for enhancing the speed and evenness of distribution of sealant into the circumferential channel.
The shank side wall optionally includes several circumferential channels. The first the circumferential channel optionally is located substantially one third of the length of the shank from the shank second end wall and a second circumferential channel preferably is located substantially two thirds of the length of the shank from the shank second end wall. The sealable fastener optionally includes a first circumferential channel substantially at the midpoint of the shank between the shank first end wall and the shank second end wall, a second circumferential channel substantially midway between the shank second end wall and the first circumferential channel and a third circumferential channel substantially midway between the shank first end wall and the first circumferential channel. The fastener may be a bolt.
A sealable fastener is further provided for insertion into a fastener opening in a receiving structure, the sealable fastener including a fastener shank including a shank first end having a fastener head and a shank first end wall and a shank second end having a shank second end wall, a shank side wall extending between the shank first end wall and the shank second end wall and a circumferential channel in the shank side wall extending to one of the fastener head and the shank second end; and a sealant delivery passageway having a delivery passageway entry port in the shank first end and extending to a delivery passageway exit port opening into the circumferential channel; so that a flowable sealant is injectable into the passageway entry port, so that a flowable sealant is injectable into the delivery passageway entry port after the fastener shank is inserted into the fastener opening, and so that the sealant flows through the sealant delivery passageway and exits through the delivery passageway exit port and flows into and around the circumferential channel, creating a circumferential seal between the fastener shank and the fastener opening in the receiving structure.
A sealable fastener is still further provided for insertion into an opening in a receiving structure, the sealable fastener including a fastener shank including a shank first end having a fastener head and a shank first end wall, and a shank second end having a shank second end wall, a shank side wall extending between the shank first end and the shank second end and a circumferential channel in the shank side wall extending to the shank second end; and a seal confirmation passageway having a confirmation passageway entry port in the circumferential channel and extending to a confirmation passageway exit port in the shank first end; so that a flowable sealant placed in the fastener opening is drivable into and around the circumferential channel, creating a circumferential seal between the fastener shank and the opening in the receiving structure, and then flows to the shank first end through the seal configuration passageway to become visible at the shank first end and thus to indicate that a complete seal has been achieved.
A sealable fastener is yet further provided for insertion into a fastener opening in a receiving structure, the sealable fastener including a fastener shank including a shank first end having a shank first end wall and a shank second end having a shank second end wall, a shank side wall extending between the shank first end wall and the shank second end wall and a circumferential channel recessed into the shank side wall; and a sealant delivery groove in the shank side wall having a delivery groove entry port in the shank second end and extending to a delivery groove exit port opening into the circumferential channel; so that a flowable sealant placed in the fastener opening is drivable into the delivery groove entry port as the fastener shank is inserted into the fastener opening, so that the sealant flows through the sealant delivery groove and exits through the delivery groove exit port and flows into and around the circumferential channel, creating a circumferential seal between the fastener shank and the fastener opening in the receiving structure.
A sealable fastener is additionally provided for insertion into an opening in a receiving structure, the sealable fastener including a fastener shank including a shank first end having a fastener head and a shank first end wall, and a shank second end having a shank second end wall, a shank side wall extending between the shank first end and the shank second end and a circumferential channel in the shank side wall extending to one of the fastener head and the shank second end; a sealant delivery groove in the shank side wall having a delivery groove entry port in the shank second end and extending to a delivery groove exit port opening into the circumferential channel; and a seal confirmation groove including one of a radial notch and a confirmation passageway in the fastener head opening out of the shank first end; so that a flowable sealant placed in the fastener opening is drivable into the delivery groove entry port as the fastener shank is inserted into the fastener opening, and so that the sealant flows through the sealant delivery groove and exits through the delivery groove exit port and flows into and around the circumferential channel, creating a circumferential seal between the fastener shank and the opening in the receiving structure, and then flows to the shank first end through the seal configuration groove to become visible at the shank first end and thus to indicate that a complete seal has been achieved.
A sealable fastener is still additionally provided for insertion into an fastener opening in a receiving structure, the sealable fastener including a fastener shank including a shank first end having a shank first end wall and a shank second end having a shank second end wall, a shank side wall extending between the shank first end wall and the shank second end wall and a circumferential channel recessed into the shank side wall; and a sealant delivery groove in the shank side wall having a delivery groove entry port in the shank first end and extending to a delivery groove exit port opening into the circumferential channel; so that a flowable sealant is injectable into the delivery groove entry port, so that the sealant flows through the sealant delivery groove and exits through the delivery groove exit port and flows into and around the circumferential channel, creating a circumferential seal between the fastener shank and the opening in the receiving structure.
A sealable fastener is yet additionally provided for insertion into an opening in a receiving structure, the sealable fastener including a fastener shank including a shank first end having a fastener head and a shank first end wall and a shank second end having a shank second end wall, a shank side wall extending between the shank first end wall and the shank second end wall and a circumferential channel in the shank side wall extending to one of the fastener head and the shank second end; a sealant delivery groove in the shank side wall having a delivery groove entry port in the shank first end and extending to a delivery groove exit port opening into the circumferential channel; and a seal confirmation groove having a confirmation groove entry port in the circumferential channel and extending to a confirmation groove exit port in the shank first end; so that a flowable sealant is injectable into the delivery groove entry port, so that the sealant flows through the sealant delivery groove and exits through the delivery groove exit port and flows into and around the circumferential channel, creating a circumferential seal between the fastener shank and the opening in the receiving structure; and so that the sealant flows from the circumferential channel into the confirmation groove entry port, and then flows to the shank first end through the seal confirmation groove to become visible at the shank first end and thus to indicate that a complete seal has been achieved.
A sealable fastener yet additionally provided for insertion into an opening in a receiving structure, the sealable fastener including a fastener shank including a shank first end having a fastener head and a shank first end wall, and a shank second end having a shank second end wall, a shank side wall extending between the shank first end and the shank second end and a circumferential channel in the shank side wall extending to the fastener head; a sealant delivery passageway having a delivery passageway entry port in the shank second end and extending to a delivery passageway exit port opening into the circumferential channel; so that a flowable sealant placed in the fastener opening is drivable into the delivery passageway entry port as the fastener shank is inserted into the fastener opening, and so that the sealant flows through the sealant delivery passageway and exits through the delivery passageway exit port and flows into and around the circumferential channel, creating a circumferential seal between the fastener shank and the opening in the receiving structure.